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Mebane CA, Sumpter JP, Fairbrother A, Augspurger TP, Canfield TJ, Goodfellow WL, Guiney PD, LeHuray A, Maltby L, Mayfield DB, McLaughlin MJ, Ortego LS, Schlekat T, Scroggins RP, Verslycke TA. Scientific integrity issues in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Improving research reproducibility, credibility, and transparency. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:320-344. [PMID: 30609273 PMCID: PMC7313240 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
High-profile reports of detrimental scientific practices leading to retractions in the scientific literature contribute to lack of trust in scientific experts. Although the bulk of these have been in the literature of other disciplines, environmental toxicology and chemistry are not free from problems. While we believe that egregious misconduct such as fraud, fabrication of data, or plagiarism is rare, scientific integrity is much broader than the absence of misconduct. We are more concerned with more commonly encountered and nuanced issues such as poor reliability and bias. We review a range of topics including conflicts of interests, competing interests, some particularly challenging situations, reproducibility, bias, and other attributes of ecotoxicological studies that enhance or detract from scientific credibility. Our vision of scientific integrity encourages a self-correcting culture that promotes scientific rigor, relevant reproducible research, transparency in competing interests, methods and results, and education. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;00:000-000. © 2019 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anne LeHuray
- Chemical Management Associates, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
| | | | | | | | - Lisa S Ortego
- Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Tamar Schlekat
- Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, Florida, USA
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